Automatic train pipe coupling head



Jan. 2, 1934. J -ROB1NSON 1,941,622

AUTOMATIC TRAIN PIPE COUPLING HEAD Original Filed Feb. 1925 INVENTOR horizontal plane.

Patented Jan. 2, 1934 PATENT OFFICE AUTOMATIC TRAIN PIPE COUPLING HEAD Joseph Robinson, New York, N. Y., assignor of one-half to Roy M. Wolvin, Montreal, Quebec,

Canada Original application February 2, 1923, Serial No. 616,592. Divided and this application May 16,

1929, Serial No. 363,507.

Renewed March 24,

4 Claims. (01. 28558) This application is a division of my co-pending application Serial #616,592 filed Feb. 2, 1923 for improvements in automatic train pipe connectors. Among the objects of the invention is to provide a coupling head for automatic connectors the side portions of which function importantly in the coupling operation, especially under conditions of extreme disalignment. Another object is to prevent lodgement on the head of objectionable amounts of foreign substances such as snow, ice, etc. that might interfere with efficient final meeting of mating heads. This is accomplished by minimizing the surfaces of the heads on which 7 such foreign substances might accumulate, and by so forming the head that the principal remaining surface of this character on one head will face an opening, or cut away portion, of a mating head when coupled. This arrangement is such that an exit is provided for such snow or ice as may accumulate on said surface. A still further object of this invention is to provide a coupling head having means to hold its base portion in spaced relation to the base portion of a mating head when coupled thereto, so that the joint between the abutting gaskets of the two heads can be inspected without separating or uncoupling the heads inorder to detect leaks. The head is light in weight, strong and durable, and inexpensive to manufacture. I In the drawing Figure 1 is a side elevation of my improved coupling head. In this view a part of the carrier A is shown in its relation to the head;

Figure 2 is a front face view of the head, and Figure 3 is a sectional plan view through approximatelythe centerof the head on the line 3-3 of Figure 2. The sectional line of the carrier member A and conduit, is approximately in the In this View neither of the guides .5 are shown. v The carrier A is constructed along the lines of my co-pending application Serial #488,373 filed July 29th, 1921 for improvements in automatic train pipe connectors. On its forward enlarged hollow end 6 I suitably mount, as by pressing thereon, my improved coupling head B, an exteriorannular ring or shoulder 4. being provided on the carrier to position the coupling head thereon. Spaced straps or portions 7 extend rearwardly away. from the hollow end or chamber 6 and embrace the supporting bracket (not shown), as in my co-pending application aforesaid. The head is provided with diagonally spaced forwardly extending outwardly and upwardly diverging wings integral therewith. The base 8 is cut away at 9 and 10 from a point adjacent said guides to approximately the major axis or vertical center line of the base, and then vertically to the respective ends of the base. While this arrangement applies more particularly to the upper portion of the head as shown in Figure 2, nevertheless the similar lower portion of the head may be cut away to the same extent. It will be understood of course that the tendency toward the accumulation of snow and ice is more prominent on the upper portion of the head than on the lower portion thereof, and that therefore, the scope and spirit of my invention is best presented by the cut away portion 9 of the upper part of the head.

Each guide 5 is provided with a guiding surface 11 which, in the case of the lower guide, faces upwardly and in the case of the upper guide faces downwardly, the first of these surfaces being slightly below and the second thereof being slightly above the transverse center line of the coupling head B. These surfaces join the edges 12 which edges extend vertically parallel to the major axis of the coupling head for a short distance and then are curved or flared inwardly, as at 12 to meet the major axis a considerable distance from the transverse center of the head B, the surfaces 11 being approximately in a horizontal plane where they join the base 8 and the edges 12. From near these points forward the wings change in cross section towards a curve in outline.

At about its center, the head is perforated to receive the aforesaid hollow end 6 of the member A, the head being provided with a shank 14 for this purpose. Into the hollow portion or chamber 6 of the carrier A, and projecting through the coupling head B, I removably mount a conduit 15 which curves laterally out of said chamber and carries at its forward end a gasket 16 of the air expansible type or other design. The conduit is provided with a lug 17 downwardly through which, and through portions of the member A, extends a plunger pin 18 to removably lock the conduit in position, whereby the gasket 16 may be replaced while mating coupling heads remain connected. The construction of this pin and locking arrangement is clearly illustrated in my co-pending application Serial #490,340, filed August 6, 1921 for improvements in Automatic train pipe connectors. The forward end of the carrier A projects through the coupling head slightly and occupies the vertical plane in which is located the bosses 19 and 20 of the head. These bosses serve when abutting against the corresponding bosses of the mating coupling head to hold the face of the base portion 8 of the head in parallel spaced relations so that the joint between the gaskets 16 may be inspected by looking between the heads and without uncoupling them. 1

ihe base 8 is made relatively thin and is strengthened by ribs 21 at its rear, which ribs extend from the central rearwardly extendng annular flange or shank 14 to the ends of the base approximately along the major axis aforesaid, the ribs being preferably inclined as shown in Figure 1. Transverse strengthening ribs 22 connect the shank 14 with the guides 5. These latter ribs may be said to constitute a part of the base of the guides and to serve as seats upon which the mated heads rest and are supported against vertical movement one on the other. It will be understood that by reason of the extent to which the bosses l9 and 20 project forwardly from the base 8, considerable freedom from adverse effect of snow and ice is thereby provided, and that complete freedom from such adverse effect is provided by the cut away portions 9 and 10 at the upper and lower diagonal corners of the head. These cut away portions provide openings which are faced by the portions 10 of the base of an opposing head. Thus exit is provided for such foreign substance as might accumulate upon the face of my improved coupling head.

The guiding edges 12 are quite long and are given an easy curve or flare similar to the vertical curve or angle of the guides 5, thus insuring proper mating of two coupling heads which may be considerably displaced both vertically and laterally. It will thus be seen that my improved coupling head has two forms of lateral guiding or gathering means, one being the outwardly or laterally flaring guides 5 and the other being the curved or angled surfaces 12* which extend from approximately the major axis of the head outwardly and vertically and join the portions 12 at the sides of the heads. Thus if the wing or guide 5 of one coupling head should engage the other head at or near either of the points X the heads will be carried laterally into alignment not only by the wings 5 but also by the surfaces 12 After the coupling operation has been accomplished if it is desired to inspect the joint between the gasket 16 the same may be easily done by introducing a liquid between the parallel faces of the portion 8 of mated heads, the presence of a leak being detected by the bubbling occurring at the point of leakage.

A suitable train pipe hose 23 is connected in any desired manner to the conduit 15, whilst the gasket 16 provided. with an interior annular groove 24, preferably in the flange of the gasket, for the admission of pressure fluid to expand the gasket.

My improved coupling head may be considered as an aligning or centering device for the carrier A on which the head 13 is suitably mounted, the gasket carrying conduit 15 being removably supported in the head at approximately the center of the latter, and the cut away portions 9 and 10 being provided to prevent interference, by snow or ice, with the proper operation of the carrier and the conduit.

I am aware that changes may be made in my improved coupling head without departing from the spirit and scope of this invention. I therefore do not desire to be limited to the particular embodiment illustrated and described.

What I claim is:

1. An automatic train pipe coupling head comprising a base and two guides rigidly secured thereto one on each side of the base intermediate the length thereof and having oppositely facing guiding surfaces, the edge of the base below one of said guides and above the other of said guides being shaped to form guiding edges for the guides of a mating head, and the base being cut away to a substantial extent above said first named guide and below said second named guide, whereby a substantial portion of the base of one head will face a cut away portion on the base of a mating head when two heads are coupled together.

2. An automatic train pipe coupling head comprising, a substantially oval shaped base, and a guide rigidly secured thereto on each side of the major axis of the base and approximately midway of the length thereof, the guiding surfaces of the guides facing in opposite directions, the edge of the base below one of said guides and above the other of said guides being curved and constituting guiding edges for the guides of a mating head, and the base being cut away above the first named guide to approximately the major axis of the base, whereby a substantial portion of the base of one head will face a cut away portion on the base of a mating head when two heads are coupled together.

3. An automatic train pipe coupling head comprising, a substantially oval shaped base, and a guide rigidly secured thereto on each side of the major axis of the base and approximately midway of the length thereof, the guiding surfaces of the guides facing in opposite directions, the edge of the base below and on the same side of the major axis as one of said guides being curved and constituting a guiding edge for one guide of a mating head, the edge of the base above and on the same side of the major axis being curved and constituting a guiding edge for the other guide of a mating head, the base being cut away above said first named guide along a line extending from substantially the edge of said guide approximately to the major axis of the base and thence substantially along said axis to approximately the end thereof, whereby a substantial portion of the base of one head will face a cut away portion on the base of a mating head when two heads are coupled together.

4. A connector head having a base which is generally oval in outline with the major axis thereof arranged vertically, a curved wing guide secured to one side of said base above the minor axis thereof and extending forwardly and outwardly from the edge of the base, a second curved wing guide secured to said base on the opposite side thereof from said first wing guide, said second wing guide also extending forwardly and laterally of the base, said base above said first named guide being cut away substantially to the major axis of said base, and said base below said second wing guide also being cut away to a substantial degree so that a substantial portion of the base of one head will face a cut away portion on the base of a mating head when two heads are coupled together, thereby avoiding accumulation of foreign substances between coupling heads.

JOSEPH ROBINSON. 

